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How to Balance Rest and Activity: 5 Tips to defeating “Sweatpant Syndrome”

I am a sweat pant/ yoga pant wearing, hog his t-shirts, not going anywhere/don’t need makeup so why put it on today, lets stay in and watch Netflix and eat pizza, kinda girl. But here’s the thing, I’m also someone who showers and washes her hair every day, puts lotion on every day, shaves consistently, stays active, eats well, sets goals, LOVES make-up, and dresses, and basically anything that screams “Female!”

But we all know what I’m talking about…

That time of the month, pregnancy, not feeling well, not happy with the 5-10 pounds you’ve put on over the holidays, etc. The times where once you’re in the sweatpants, they actually swallow you, physically and metaphorically. Before you know it, the weekend has gone by and you feel just as “blah” (or worse) as when it started. For me, being pregnant with twins has kept me in yoga pants to work out, shower, and then in sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt for about 90% of the last 12 weeks unless I absolutely HAD TO get dolled up. I’ve given myself grace on this because I’m making two humans and it’s more draining than I could have ever imagined, my body doesn’t recover from workouts like it used to, and on top of that, I’m just not feeling so sexy right now. The amount of sleep I need is utterly ridiculous, especially for someone who never naps and finds projects and organizing and giving myself jobs for the day…well, fun. But people, enough is enough. I need to feel like a woman again and feel pretty-for myself. All that to say, pregnant or not, we all go through slumps, fatigue, etc. We all need downtime, and rest days are SO important from our physical fitness. Allow your body to rest, give in to sweatpants, the cheat meal, the Netflix. It’s really okay. Listen, I’m in the “baggies” (that’s what I refer to sweatpants/oversized t-shirts as) every night. I’m just talking about living in them and not knowing when to draw the line, stay motivated, and get moving again. Maybe you’re in a slump where your friend asks you to go out and you feel permanently cemented to those sweatpants and maybe a little melancholy, bloated, etc, that the thought of putting a pair of jeans on pains you. Or you are so utterly tired from chasing the kids all day and it’s date night where half way through putting on your make-up, you have visions of yourself just crawling back into bed and telling your husband, “another night ok?” (I really hope I’m not the only one who has experienced it-that would be embarrassing).

Here’s what can happen, if we aren’t careful, it’s actually proven that staying in that place too long, not getting outside, being-for lack of a nicer word-LAZY, actually begins to have negative effects on our self-esteem, mood, and even our diet. Yes, our diet. Let’s put it this way, if you were in a semi-fitted top and your cute pair of skinny jeans, how likely are you to eat that donut, or bag of chips? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Sitting around in clothes 5 times too big for 5 times too long actually has reverse energizing effects and we are more apt to eat worse and feel worse. So, how do we maintain balance? Below are my 5 tips for how get yourself back up and on the other side:

1) Don’t think, just do.

I’m all about mentality. Mind over matter. Convincing the mind…you get the idea. But in times like these, our mind is our worst enemy. Sometimes you just gotta suck it up, and change your mind because it’s what needs to be done. Just start moving. Get off the couch. Do what you need to do…MOVE, and give yourself positive pep talks. Slowly, your mood and your mind will change. You can change your own mind.

2) Drink enough water.

Staying hydrated has more benefits than you could ever possibly imagine. But, when your resting, flush with water. It will keep your mind clear, your body feeling good, and your cravings down. You’re more likely to get up and moving if your hydrated than if you’re not.

3) Get outside.

Vitamin D is amazing for us, y’all. It keeps feelings of depression down, it balances our female hormones, and there’s just nothing like sunshine and fresh air. If you aren’t fully motivated to get out to the gym or if it’s your rest day, at least take a walk, or at best just sit outside. It’s amazing what that will do for your mood.

Speaking of vitamins, a little sub-category here, if you’re experiencing chronic fatigue or lack of energy, or any other symptoms that seem abnormal or like they shouldn’t be plaguing you this heavily on a day-to-day basis, look into vitamin/mineral supplements, or even get a basic blood panel done to see if other things are going on. Take care of yourself. 🙂

4) Get dolled up, just because.

You don’t have to go overboard here. But, kind of in conjunction with Tip #1, put on the cute outfit, do your hair, add a little (or a lotta) mascara and some lip gloss and bronzer for a nice glow to awaken the face. You don’t need a guy to get dressed up for, be your own motivation. Today, I had a target errand, that’s it. I could’ve just gone in my workout clothes, un-showered, like I do most days (more lately than I like to admit). But instead, I decided I would shower first, put on a little mascara and chapstick, ran a flat iron over my hair, and put on a cute pair of boyfriend jeans, flats, and a slouchy (but stylish) tee, and a little jewelry. Y’all, what a mood lifter!

*Update: I’m back home, writing this to you in yoga pants and that’s pretty freakin’ rad too.*

5) Make your bed.

I don’t make my bed every day, but on days where I feel like I might just climb back in it, i make it first. It sets the tone for my day. It starts me off feeling successful, motivated, and less likely to procrastinate.

Crossing that fine line of needed R&R, and of hitting full “couch potato” mode is a lot of times our own doing. One of the biggest parts of leading a healthy lifestyle is being your own motivation. Being in control of your emotions, your mood, and your day, setting healthy boundaries for yourself-for rest, and for activity, and just doing what needs to be done because it’s good for you, are some of the most tell-tale signs of people living balanced and healthy.

What small (or big) thing could you change today to be a better you, to feel better, more confident, more energized, more productive? Whatever it is, believe that it’s starts with you and believe you can.

Now, if anyone has 5 tips on how to be more efficient with folding laundry instead of just staring at the pile in front of you, I’ll gladly take it. Although, I could just heed my own Tip #1 and JUST DO IT! Swallowing your own medicine is hard… *Le Sigh*

WELL… how badly I needed this! You described the feelings of this slump so well!
A slump that lately I’ve fallen into in this PURA VIDA lifestyle (motto for living in Costa Rica) “couch potato” mode more often than I should these days.

I go to Yoga twice a week, and we take Gabby for a walk when we feel like it, but some of the other days I extend my favorite part of the day: MORNING COFFEE AND QUIET TIME ….farther into the day than I should. I’m always torn between slamming on the tennis shoes and getting the Gabby walk outta the way cuz I know I’ll feel better if I do it first and don’t procrastinate it. Instead, I get the walking clothes on….take my morning vitamins, medicines, etc., then pour the coffee and get so comfy that it’s afternoon and we still haven’t done the walk!! 😦 “I need to break this habit and get up and find some new things to do!”

All of these are good tips and I needed the kick in my yoga pants! #1is my motto for a lot of things, so I just need to do the – “JUST DO IT” and break the cycle!

Re: Folding your laundry. Yes…I was gonna say “just do it”. haha It’s one of those things where I honestly had to go “split personality”. Lemme see if I can explain this without sounding like I need meds. …What I mean is I stopped looking at it and dreading doing it, even though I did! I would begin by JUST DOING IT. Unconsciously, I would set this “other person” –or “other version of me” over to the side with a gag on her mouth. You know, that part of me who wanted to sit and bitch about folding the laundry. Then I would find the other part of me – the happy person who would just look at the laundry and find happy things to think about each item as I folded them. i.e., when you girls were little I would think how cute you looked in each outfit, in your case, Harrison’s cute little socks and thinking of putting them on his cute little feet, or folding our husbands laundry and thinking how sexy he looks in those skivvies, being thankful as I fold a favorite shirt that that I love and be grateful I was able to purchase it, and wondering what I’d be doing if I wasn’t folding clothes for this beautiful family and realizing how blessed I was to have a family for whom I could fold laundry. (May sound silly, but it goes to that “change your mind tip” you gave above. Tasks become easier when we flip our perspective! The other thing that helps me fold laundry is finding a good NETFLIX movie and watch that while I mindlessly fold clothes. 🙂 Your daddy and I do it together, and it makes it makes the load seam lighter. (see what I did there?) 🙂

I’m writing this in my baggiest clothes while sitting in my recliner getting ready to vegggg for the night! haha I hear the encouraging words of Miss Scarlett: “I’ll do it tomorrow, for after all ….tomorrow IS another day!: